Shrek director Andrew Adamson switches to live-action movies with this ambitious adaptation of the best-known book in CS Lewis's seven-volume Narnia series. Years in the making, it's an old-fashioned fantasy adventure that retains much of the magical allure of the popular children's classic. The four Pevensie siblings are evacuated from London to a country manor house during the Second World War. There they discover an enchanted wardrobe that leads to a wintry, fairy-tale realm populated by talking animals and mythical creatures. Narnia has fallen under the malevolent spell of Tilda Swinton's imperious White Witch - setting the scene for a climactic battle between good and evil. With its focus on character relationships rather than flashy spectacle, the film is perhaps more intimate and low-key than many modern youngsters are used to. However, aside from some midway plot lulls, there's plenty to delight here, from the imposing landscapes to the noble, CGI-realised hero Aslan the Lion, majestically voiced by Liam Neeson.

Siblings Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter step through a magical wardrobe and find the land of Narnia. There, they discover a charming, once peaceful kingdom that has been plunged into eternal winter by the evil White Witch, Jadis. Aided by the wise and magnificent lion, Aslan, the children lead Narnia into a spectacular, climactic battle to be free of the Witch's glacial powers forever.